Story: A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo written by Jill Twiss and illustrated by E.G. Keller is the story of a lonely bunny. Marlon lives with his grandfather, the Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. On this day however, Marlon meets a new friend that becomes very special to him. Together the two bunnies deal with challenging topics like same-sex marriage, democracy, tolerance and acceptance.
Why: I avoid political discussions and am admittedly under-informed on current events by my own choosing. My husband and I do enjoy watching Jon Oliver’s show Last Week Tonight on HBO though, and yes, I do know that this form of news is not perfect. However, I generally appreciate Oliver’s sense of humor, choice of topics, and education on current affairs. That said, he and his team are the minds behind A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo which is a spinoff of Marlon Bundo’s Day in the Life of the Vice President written by Mike Pence’s daughter Charlotte. All proceeds from the sale of Last Week Tonight’s book support The Trevor Project and AIDS United which are two organizations that support causes the Vice President is opposed to. My husband and I ordered Marlon Bundo to make our small voice heard and provide support to people that are facing additional challenges due to our current political administration.
Opinion: This is listed as a children’s book and is written as such. I personally believe the message was delivered in a manner fit for children, but with undertones and nuances that make it poignant for adults too.Even for someone who isn’t comfortable discussing difficult issues, I think this book provides a great opportunity to discuss different lifestyles and politics with children. I particularly enjoyed the illustrations and diversity of animals that make an appearance – another layer of inclusion and acceptance.
Recommendation: A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo is a Liberal-minded book which I know is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. However, I strongly encourage each of you reading this review to use 5 minutes to read the book. Put yourself in the innocent mindset of a child and see the world through Marlon’s eyes. Support the causes by purchasing the book here: https://www.betterbundobook.com/ or on Amazon, or simply borrow the title from a friend or library. I don’t expect that all of us will ever agree on everything, but it’s good for us to see an issue from all sides, and children often set the best examples.
